It’s officially springtime and students should get ready to spring into action - Workday Student is almost here. Starting Apr. 20, students will begin using Workday Student to review and manage their personal information such as address, pronouns, emergency contacts, etc. Additional functionality (e.g., registration, advising) will be rolled out incrementally between April and September. 

Sage will continue to be available as the system to complete activities related to both Spring and Summer semesters. Workday Student will become the university’s new student information system for all Fall 2021-related activities. Review the upcoming schedule of activities to see the list of academic-related tasks that will be available in Workday.

Want to learn more about the system and what’s coming? Join the Workday Student project team at one of the following virtual drop-in sessions that will include a 20-min demonstration (focusing on the faculty experience) followed by 40-min Q&A. Registration is not required; join using this Zoom link on the specified date/time.

• Friday, April 23,  9-10 a.m. -- Academic management (courses, viewing roster, grading, registration)

• Friday, April 30  10- 11 a.m. -- Academic advising (dashboard, academic plans, academic progress)



Don’t forget to bookmark the Workday Student website - the team will be posting information about training (virtual, instructor-led, and self-paced), job aids, and instructional videos in the coming weeks. To learn more about the project, watch the Intro to Workday Student video. Please contact workday@brandeis.edu with any questions.

Please be aware of a scam that is affecting students, faculty and staff aimed at .edu email addresses. The scammers are targeting people by acting as the IRS, asking for information related to tax returns. It is one of the better planned scams using official language and the IRS official logo. For more information please read the IRS article.

If you have been personally targeted, please follow the instructions from the IRS on how to notify them and to obtain an official identity protection PIN ( IP PIN). The IRS has confirmed it will never ask for personal information via email.

Are you a staff member with a PhD? Would you be willing to talk with a current PhD student about your professional path? If so, please submit your name here. Your name and contact information will be shared with PhD students as they consider diverse career paths. The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences is gathering this information as part of the Connected PhD effort and support for students. Please contact Alyssa Canelli with any question.

The Department of Community Service (DCS) invites all faculty and staff members to participate in a focus group about how we measure, track, and reward students’ community engagement work at Brandeis. This focus group is part of a larger effort to align the Brandeis Commitment to Service Award (CTSA) program with the multiplicity of students’ community engagement activities and the DCS’s commitment to increasing the accessibility and recognition of diverse service experiences for BIPOC students on our campus. Your input will directly inform the ways community service and advocacy work is tracked and captured on an improved platform that will be replacing SAGE—a shared volunteer recruitment and service tracking tool for students, community partners, and Brandeis staff members.

Friday, April 16 from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. (EST) Register here.

We understand you may be busy during this time. If you are unable to attend, please complete this 5-10 minute survey because we value your thoughts on the importance of service and community engagement.

As scholars and members of the Brandeis community, your views, experiences, and feedback are extremely important. If you have any questions about the focus groups or the Commitment to Service Award (CTSA) program, please email Moriah King or Samantha De Melim. DCS looks forward to having these meaningful and important conversations with the staff and faculty members of our community.

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences is issuing a call for administrative units to host a Higher Ed Administrative Intern. As part of the Andrew W. Mellon Connected PhD Grant awarded to GSAS, this goal of this program is to provide opportunities for PhD students to gain administrative and project experience. Below are descriptions of the expectations for host units and our requirements for an internship proposal:

Requirements for the hosting unit:

• Commitment to provide meaningful supervision and professional development mentoring, including shadowing
• Availability of a project with a concrete deliverable component
• Ability for the position to pivot from on-campus to remote operations as needed
• Occasional participation in Fellow cohort meetings or discussions
• Completion of a supervision report and any other surveys required by the grant assessment needs

Submission instructions:

• Brief (1-2 paragraph) description of position and project
• 3-5 learning objectives of the position
• Supervisory structure
• Duration and hours (summer, summer and fall, fall only, fall and spring, etc; 6-10 hours per week, 10-12 hours, 12-15 hours, with a max of 20). Please mention any particular scheduling constraints or requirements.

If you'd like to propose a position, please submit a proposal by the priority deadline of April 23 to Alyssa Canelli and Emily Wheeler. They are also happy to field questions and consult on your ideas.

Denim Day began more than 20 years ago, after the Italian Supreme Court overturned a rape conviction. The justices felt that since the victim was wearing tight jeans, she must have helped remove them— implying consent. The following day, women in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans to show solidarity. Since then, Denim Day has become an annual symbol of protest against erroneous and destructive attitudes about sexual harassment, sexual assault, and rape.

The Brandeis community is invited to join in Denim Day this year on Wednesday, April 28.

Here are some ways to show solidarity on Denim Day with those who have experienced sexual violence:

Wear denim. Denim jeans, jackets, hats – any and all denim is encouraged.

Show your support on social media with the hashtag #DEISDenimDay. Share pictures of your denim and let survivors know that you support them. PARC will be reposting your messages of support all day.

To learn more about Denim Day, sexual violence, or resources available at Brandeis and in the community, please contact PARC via email or the 24-hour hotline: 781-736-3370.

The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion invites you to subscribe to the ODEI mailing list. This is a great way for faculty and staff to learn about our future programs, events, trainings coming from the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Alternatively, you may send an email to odei@lists.brandeis.edu, with the word SUBSCRIBE in the subject line.

Brandeis celebrates its creative community during the 2021 Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts, taking place from Sunday, April 25 through Monday, May 1. The Festival of the Arts honors its founder, the great American composer, conductor, and Brandeis faculty member Leonard Bernstein, and his incredible legacy as an artist, educator, activist, and humanitarian.

The theme of this year’s festival is “Art Finds a Way," reflects our community's determination and resilience during this challenging year. Whether on campus or online, Brandeisians have found a way to create new works of performing and visual arts and to host distinguished guest artists from around the world. Most events will take place online and are open to the public. Events that take place on campus are open to the Brandeis community only, in compliance with current health and safety protocol.

Highlights of the week include:

• Virtual Super Sunday: A two-hour video premiere of short performances and films by more than 100 Brandeis students and alumni, including Department of Music student ensembles and guest artists, a cappella and dance clubs, and filmmakers and multimedia artists.
• The Gifted Givers: a virtual catalog of 500 small works of art made by more than 60 generous students, staff, faculty and alumni to give to their fellow Brandeisians.
• Online performances of “The Lathe of Heaven,” adapted from the science fiction novel by Ursula K. Le Guin; and the Senior Thesis Festival of new works created by graduating Theater Arts majors; produced by the Department of Theater Arts.
• The online world premiere of four works written by Brandeis graduate composers for the Lydian String Quartet.
• The Create@Brandeis craft market, featuring handmade goods by Brandeis students and staff, at the Brandeis Booths in Fellows’ Garden.

You can find a complete listing of events on the Festival website and artist highlights on Facebook and Instagram. For more information, email arts@brandeis.edu.

The Festival of the Arts is sponsored by Brandeis Arts Engagement, part of the Division of Creative Arts. It is made possible through the generous support of Elaine Reuben ’63 and the Aaron Foundation Visiting Artist Fund for Theater, Music, and Fine Arts.

As we mark the one-year anniversary of COVID’s impact on our campus, the Center for Spiritual Life is planning to hold space for students, staff and faculty so that we can remember those who have died in the past year. A memorial service for the Brandeis community will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 23 via Zoom.  

Our hope is that this memorial service offers a measure of comfort and consolation and strengthens our sense of community and solidarity. The core of this memorial service will be memories, photos, and stories submitted by the community.  All are invited to register in advance to attend this service.

Providing feedback on a regular basis is critical for the development, retention and success of employees. Over the course of the next year the newly established Brandeis University Staff Performance Evaluation Review Committee (PERC) will embark on reimagining and modernizing the performance evaluation process. For this upcoming cycle the process will continue as was done this past year.

As usual the merit increase pool for next year will not be announced to managers until May. In the interim, it is important to continue with the annual performance evaluation process which provides valuable performance feedback to employees.

Performance reviews for the period July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021 are due to Mary Sue Sacenti in the Office Human Resources on or before June 4. Please note that only, employees hired on or before Jan. 1, 2021 will be eligible for an annual merit increase. In cases where an employee’s performance rating is below or partially meets expectations, please contact HR. For more detailed information please visit the Human Resources website.

Employees are reminded that Vacation Carryover Exception Time and Special Time Off balances must be used by August 31 to avoid losing them.


Employees may view their Vacation Carryover Exception Time and Special Time Off balances in WorkDay under Absence > Time Off Balance. This time is also reflected on the payslip accrual summary in WorkDay. 


The Vacation Carryover Exception time and Special Time Off balances should be used as a first priority over regular vacation time and personal time balances leading up to August 31.

With tax season well underway, ITS Security wants to remind the community to be aware of tax-related scams. Please note that the IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages, or social media channels to request personal or financial information. As a reminder, never give out your social security number, credit card, or other personal information to telemarketers or in response to emails or text messages requesting this information. Learn more about tax-related scams on the IRS website.

Additionally, beware of any emails related to your W-2. Brandeis employees can download their electronic W-2 from Workday. Please report any unsolicited emails claiming to be from the IRS or an IRS-related function to phishing@irs.gov. For more information or questions, contact the ITS Security Office at security@brandeis.edu.

Did you know that more than 90% of data breaches start with a phishing email? Phishing attacks are scams that look like they come from a trusted source but trick you into giving up private information. Even with Brandeis’ sophisticated security measures, YOU are still the best defense against phishing emails. To help the community become experts in detecting phishing or fraudulent emails, ITS is launching a two-part program to increase security awareness.

In mid-March, faculty and staff were enrolled in a security awareness course hosted by KnowBe4. Individuals should have received an email notification with the subject line of “Now Available: Security awareness training.” The first module is a short video that provides a foundation for identifying social engineering and phishing attacks. ITS will provide additional modules to conduct ongoing security awareness training. Starting in mid-April, we’ll see if you can pass the Security Office’s simulated phishing test. ITS will periodically send you simulated phishing messages designed to imitate real scams. These simulations are done in a safe, educational environment and there are no negative consequences if you mistakenly reply to the simulated message. If you click on a link, you will be redirected to an informational page identifying the message as a phishing simulation along with helpful tips on identifying these messages in the future. If you recognize an email as a phishing scam, we encourage you to report it.

Don’t get caught by a phish. Report any phishing or suspicious email you receive or may have responded to by forwarding the message to phishing@brandeis.edu. Visit the ITS website to learn more about phishing awareness and tips for staying secure. For questions or more info, contact security@brandeis.edu.

As of Monday, March 22, Brandeis is providing shuttle service between South Station and the Brandeis campus, and continuing through April 30. This temporary shuttle service will be provided at the following times:

• weekday mornings, leaving South Station (Atlantic Ave. side) at 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.
• weekday afternoons, leaving Usdan at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.

The added shuttle service is intended to accommodate commuters from Boston traveling to and from the Brandeis campus while the Fitchburg line is temporarily out of service on weekdays so that MBTA can upgrade its signal system for Positive Train Control. It is not intended to replace the Boston/Cambridge shuttle service that has long been cancelled as a health safety measure during COVID.

Brandeis commuters who live north of the Charles River (e.g., Cambridge, Somerville, Belmont, etc.) can take the direct Brandeis shuttle that starts at South Station or the local MBTA shuttle that starts at Alewife Station and stops at each of the stations along the Fitchburg line to Brandeis.

The shuttle will be extended to weekends if ridership indicates a need to do so. For more information on the bus stops and route times, visit Campus Shuttles and Van Routes on the Brandeis Public Safety website.

Information Technology Services (ITS) and Campus Operations are partnering together on key technology infrastructure projects to ensure faculty, staff, students, and guests have a secure and safe experience while on campus. There were two notable outcomes from the active shooter drill and campus security assessment conducted a few years ago. Specifically, it was identified that there were issues with the campus cellular coverage and camera system which needed to be addressed. Below is an update on two key infrastructure projects underway that address these deficiencies:

Cellular coverage: starting in the Fall, the community will see noticeable improvements to the campus-wide cellular service. There has been an ongoing issue with limited coverage in certain buildings. In the upcoming months, ITS will be installing a distributed antenna system on campus to enhance coverage and network signal throughout all of our campus buildings. Locations on campus that have large numbers of people (e.g., libraries, dining halls, residential buildings, etc.) will be targeted. In addition, Brandeis will be integrating cellular voice service from AT&T and Verizon into the campus system.

Security cameras: an updated camera system is being installed to address a 20+-year old security structure and remediate gaps in coverage such as building entrances and exits. In addition, new cameras will be placed in public, high traffic areas such as parking lots and crosswalks on Loop Rd. The new security system will primarily enhance post-incident investigations with higher quality imagery.

For more information about these initiatives, please reach out to Campus Operations or the ITS Security Office.

The Office of Human Resources will be holding performance review workshops for managers and non-managers.

How to Conduct an Effective Performance Review: The workshop will provide managers with the tools and information necessary, even while working remotely, to conduct an effective performance review. Participants will learn how to accurately document performance
, how to provide effective feedback to employees
, how to write a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP)
, how to assess professional development and training needs
, how to continue to motivate your employees
 and how to conduct difficult conversations with employees who need to show improvement. For dates and times, and to register please visit the Human Resources website. All managers must complete performance reviews, even if you cannot participate in a workshop. For performance review questions, please contact Liz Tierney, Deborah Jenkins or Suzanne Albright.

How to Make the Most of Your Performance Review: This workshop will provide employees with the tools and information necessary to make the most of the performance review, even while working remotely. Participants will learn how to accurately document your performance, create a file highlighting your accomplishments, think about what would be helpful for professional growth, and how to have a productive conversation with your supervisor. For dates and times, and to register please visit the Human Resources website.

A change in federal law has made more domestic students temporarily eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Under regular SNAP rules, students enrolled at least half-time in an institution of higher education are ineligible for SNAP unless they meet one of the exemptions. However, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 temporarily expands SNAP eligibility to allow students who either:

• Are eligible to participate in State or Federally financed work study during the regular academic year, as determined by the institution of higher education, OR
• Have an expected family contribution (EFC) of $0 in the current academic year (2020-2021).

Students who meet one of the two criteria outlined above may receive SNAP if they meet all other financial and non-financial SNAP eligibility criteria. The new, temporary exemptions will be in effect until 30 days after the COVID-19 public health emergency is lifted.

To determine if you are eligible to participate in the Federal Work-Study program, click the “View Financial Aid Information”’ link in your Sage Student Center to view your 2020-2021 financial aid award via the Brandeis financial aid portal. To view the EFC on your 20-21 FAFSA, log into your application at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

If you have questions about SNAP eligibility, please locate and contact your local SNAP office. A detailed breakdown of eligibility criteria can be found here.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently announced a program to help those struggling to pay for internet amid the pandemic, stating that a household is eligible to receive the benefit if one member of the household received a federal Pell Grant during the current award year (20-21), among other possible criteria for eligibility. Under the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, eligible households can receive up to $50 per month to help pay for broadband internet service. While this program has been authorized, a start date has not yet been established. Please continue to check here for program updates.

The recording is now available for the undergraduate financial aid webinar that took place on Feb. 26. Topics include the 21-22 financial aid renewal process, including what to do if your family’s income was affected by COVID-19, the cost of attendance, how housing choices affect financial aid, how financial aid is determined, the financial aid appeal process, paying the bill, emergency funds and financial literacy.

Sign up for a one-on-one financial literacy session with Student Financial Services on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We hope that you will take advantage of this great opportunity to ask questions about budgeting, managing debt, understanding your paycheck, W-2’s etc. Please click here to book a 20-minute appointment today.

April is National Financial Literacy Month. What’s your Financial IQ? Learn about money the fun and easy way. See how you score on the “Financial IQ” challenge and maybe win one of 3 Garmin Vivoactives.

Unlock new questions between April 1 through April 30. The more you play, the more chances to win. Good luck.

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website to view more information on National Financial Literacy Month.

Get rewarded for getting healthy. The Office of Human Resources is pleased to offer employees access to an online health portal as part of the HealthyYou wellness program for 2021. Between Jan. 1 and Dec. 15 all employees can access the health portal to participate in multiple activities, tools and resources that will help you set, track, and achieve your personal wellness goals. The more activities you complete, the more credits you will earn which will increase your opportunities be entered into the raffles for great prizes.

Learn more about the wellness portal and how to access on the Office of Human Resources website.

Please join the Office of Human Resources each Wednesday, 12:15 -1 p.m., for a new live webinar focused on your well-being.  Please visit the Office of Human Resources website to view more information and for registration details.

Fidelity and TIAA continue to offer very informative live and on demand webinars. Watch and participate in practical web workshops, where you’ll learn strategies and tips to help manage your financial future with confidence. Please visit the Office of Human Resources website to view more information and registration details.

Representative from Fidelity Investments and TIAA and are ready to help you

• Manage your retirement savings goals
• Review investment choices
• Build a plan that is easy to put into action

To register and for more details please visit the Office of Human Resources Website.

The Office of Human Resources has partnered with Bright Horizons to help you better manage your work, family and personal responsibilities. Bright Horizons continues to offer Brandeis eligible employees, Family Solutions, Additional Family Supports and a Resource Room on the Brandeis Portal.

One of the features available is Back-Up Care, which provides access to back-up care for your children, adult and elder family members during a lapse or breakdown in normal care arrangements. For additional information visit the Office of Human Resources Dependent Care Resource and Referral webpage.

Find Support Now:

• FAQ’s Additional Family Supports
• Sittercity Registration & Virtual Sitting
• Bright Horizons Benefits

The Brandeis Library is pleased to announce the formal launch of a new research repository along with a new platform for other types of digital collections. This repository will continue the library’s mission to collect, preserve, and disseminate digital copies of the intellectual output of Brandeis. This will split Brandeis-created content and digitized content, currently held in the Brandeis Institutional Repository.

Brandeis ScholarWorks has formally launched and represents a bold step forward as the Library engages and supports the university’s research mission. ScholarWorks replaces the former Brandeis Institutional Repository (BIR) and will go well beyond it in scope. Our vision for the repository is that it fully and completely represents Brandeis contributions to the scholarly and creative communities. It also allows us to fully meet our obligations to make data findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable. In the future, it may help bring together faculty profiles, help measure the impact of Brandeis research, and match Brandeis researchers with potential collaborators as well as funding opportunities.

For more information please visit the Library's website.

The Library is offering the following workshops for faculty, staff, and students this month:

Survey Research: Intro to Qualtrics, 2- 3 p.m. Friday, April 9

Researching in the Archives, 2- 2:30 p.m. Friday, April 9

Data Services Drop-In, 9:30 a.m., Fridays

Using the Jamboard software for Teaching, 10 a.m. Mondays

Intro to 3D Scanning, 9 a.m., Wednesdays

Introductory Module of Arduino Electronics Workshop, 12 p.m. Wednesdays

MakerLab, Automation Lab and Digital Scholarship Lab VIRTUAL Tour!, 9 a.m., Thursdays

Advanced Arduino Electronics Workshop, 11 a.m., Fridays

The International Business School is proud to host its second Business of Climate Change event starting April 14 at 12 p.m. with an expert panel discussing environmental investing. The discussions range from climate innovation to the Paris Agreement to how climate change will impact business, finance and economics.

Join the International Business School as they explore the risks and opportunities climate change poses, and how to harness investment and business resources to make a difference.

Review the schedule and register.